Desoutter's accident occurred at the London Aviation Meeting held at Hendon Aerodrome at Easter 1913: whilst flying his 50-h.p.
Gnome-Blériot on the afternoon of 23 March, the control stick slipped from his hand and the Blériot dived into the ground at the edge of the aerodrome.
In 1914 the pair formed a company, Desoutter Brothers Limited, at 73 Baker Street, London, to manufacture the legs.
The firm expanded greatly during and after the First World War, and moved to The Hyde, Hendon in 1924, where they manufactured both artificial limbs and the pneumatic portable Desoutter Tools which had been developed initially as a sideline.
41 of this type and the improved Desoutter II were produced, but the business folded in 1932 after its main customer, National Flying Services at London Air Park, Hanworth, went into liquidation.